Desperate Measures
by ethereal girl
Summary: Season 5 Cole starts another plot to get Phoebe back is he doomed to fail again?
1. Kidnapped

**CHARMED**

"**Desperate Measures"**

**Summary  
**Cole starts another plot to get Phoebe back – will he succeed this time?

**Timeline  
**Season 5 after 5x09 Dearest Daddy

**Disclaimer  
**I don't own anything about Charmed.

**A/N  
**Please let me know what you think of the story.  
English is not my first language – so please bear with the inevitable mistakes. The story is un-betaed, only what I and my word processor were able to do.

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**Kidnapped**

Cole had been observing Phoebe 24x7 for some days. Since the Charmed Ones had tried to vanquish him and had failed he felt off. He had wandered off and had challenged some allegedly strong demons, but none of them could harm him in the least. In turn he had killed them, out of pure anger that they had failed at killing him.

Besides the avatars being permanently on his tail didn't make his mood any better. He couldn't vanquish them and they wouldn't leave him in peace. Only when he watched Phoebe, he felt some calmness. He watched Phoebe go to work and back home, meet with friends, go shopping. He was very cautiously that she didn't recognize him.

He had found out that she preferred to work late lately. It seemed she enjoyed the quiet office and the time alone. Well, the Manor wasn't the quietest place to be, that was for sure.

He had finished all arrangements and was now waiting for the perfect moment to approach her. He feared it a little bit, since it would be his last chance. The last chance for him to get her back. If this failed he would stop fighting the Avatars and give into their demands.

Cole shimmered into the editorial office of the Bay Mirror and slowly approached her office. He could see her tipping fervently through the folds of the window.

For this evening he had taken the effort to change his clothes. He hadn't bothered in the last weeks. He had always worn the same grey outworn T-shirt, his old jeans and the brown leather jacket with the fur sleeve. He hadn't bothered that he rank.

For meeting Phoebe he had shaven, showered and put on one of his suits. She had always liked him wear suits. He had left away the neck tie and had the up most buttons of his red shirt unbuttoned. He wanted to make a good and not threatening impression on her. To seduce her a little would only help his case. He had just one try and it had to work.

Phoebe was working on a particular difficult letter. She was chewing on her pen and tipping in to her laptop swiftly. She got so much more work done, without her colleagues or sisters always interrupting her. She had taken a likening to work in the night. So she could sleep through part of the day.

She heard a noise outside her office and lifted her head. She saw the outline of a person coming towards her office. She looked at her watch surprised. Almost 12 pm. Normally she was the only one working that late.

She looked at her door expectantly and wasn't really surprised that the late visitor turned out to be Cole. But she was thoroughly surprised by his looks. He didn't look lost or crazy like she had last seen him in his flat. He looked composed and in decent clothes.

"You are working late," he commented and lent against the doorframe, caressing her with his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" She ignored his comment and the butterflies his glance still stirred up in her tummy, and peered at him suspiciously over her laptop screen. "I thought we established that I don't want to see you again."

"Just wanted to talk," he offered good-naturedly. He kept his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know what we would have to talk about Cole," she fended him off, rolling her eyes and turning her attention to her letter again.

Unimpressed he walked over and sat down in the stool in front of her desk, looking at her intensely. Waiting, just watching her.

"What?" She asked after some minutes peering over her glasses again. It looked like ignoring him wasn't going to work.

"Nothing," he shrugged, "I just came to tell you that I'm really sorry I freaked out like that. I was just so desperate and lonely and couldn't take it anymore. I needed a way out, to make this feelings stop. You and your sisters seemed like the best choice." He looked miserably at her.

"Cole," Phoebe took of her glasses and put them on the table, "it's not working that way. You can't just attack my family, hurt them and than come by and say sorry and think everything is forgotten."

She shook her head in disbelieve. For the smart person Cole was he lacked common sense in these things.

"I know, " he acknowledged meekly, "I understand that. Still I want you to know that I have myself under control again and….that I know it was wrong what I did, goading you to vanquish me. I'm truly sorry."

He propped his arms on his knees and buried his face in his hands.

Phoebe pulled up an inquisitive eyebrow. Cole seemed really ashamed of what he had done this time. Maybe she could use it to make him to promise her to go away or at least leave her family and her alone.

"Cole, look," she got up from her chair and came around her desk, and lent slightly against it in front of Cole. He looked up from his hands with a frown.

"I appreciate that you realize that you did something bad, but that doesn't change the fact that you did it. You have to answer for what you do." Phoebe tried to open his eyes.

"I do," he said genuinely, "I will take responsibility for it. It was wrong, and I won't use you or your sisters in that way again. I promise." He was pleading with her with his eyes and Phoebe had to shrug off her blooming sympathy for him.

"All right Cole, I will try to believe you. Again." Phoebe emphasized the last word.

Cole nearly winced but managed to suppress it in the last moment. Phoebe said she trusted him, and he was here to mislead her. But he couldn't forsake his plan, not now, when everything was so neatly arranged. He couldn't falter just because she said she believed in him, maybe she just said it and didn't mean it. Maybe she just wanted to get rid of him.

Only some days ago Phoebe had doubted that she could have a meaningful conversation with Cole ever again. He had been very lunatic, trying to kill himself, but now he seemed at least a little normal. That was a good sign.

She decided she could be nice to him. It was probably in her and her sister's best interest if she didn't piss of a demon they couldn't vanquish. She straightened up and wiped a strand from her face. She wasn't in the mood for working anymore.

"I'm going home now," she told him and hoped he understood the message.

Cole watched her walk around the desk, shut her laptop down and tidy up her working place. She put on her jacket and hung her bag over her shoulder. He kept sitting in the stool just watching her every move.

"Cole, you have to leave now", she put her hand on his shoulder, in a friendly gesture urging him to get moving.

He looked up at her with a very sad and lonely expression in his eyes. It tore at her heart. She never wanted to make him miserable. She never wanted anybody to be miserable because of her. She just wanted to be left alone and forget all the things that had happened to her, because of him, because of magic.

"You will get better, Cole, I promise, just give yourself some time". She tried to encourage him not at least herself, and bent down to brush a quick amicable kiss on his temple.

Cole quickly lifted his head and her lips met his. Surprised and angered by his move Phoebe pulled back immediately but he stood up swiftly, snatched her arms firmly and pulled her closer. He pressed his lips against hers again, kissing her with a passion that made Phoebe almost respond to him.

"Let go of me," she hissed while wrestling against him but Cole had a grip on her.

Her protesting words were muffled by his demanding mouth on her lips. He wasn't backing of an inch, his tongue persistently goading her to let him into her mouth, his arms pressing her into his body.

Phoebe had almost forgotten how strong he was and how good his lips felt. She was struggling as much with the turmoil of feelings inside her as with him to let her go. Blinded by her fury about his behaviour and the shame about her awakening desire for him, Phoebe didn't recognize the beginning of his blur.

tbc  
Is it worth continuing? Please review.


	2. Gypsy Magic

A big hug to all reviewers for encourgaging me to go on.  
I'm really sorry it took me so long to come up with the next chapter and hope you are still reading.  
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**Gypsy magic**

Sometime before.

It was a rainy afternoon and not many people were on the streets. Semira used the quiet time to sort out the stock.

The little herbs and magical goods shop belonged to her grandmother. It was a family business and they shared the CARE for it. The ring of the bells hanging over the entrance of the shop startled her. She looked up from polishing some cooper bowls.

A middle-aged man had entered her shop. He was browsing through the goods on the shelves, like searching for something. Semira put down the cooper bowl and went towards him.

"May I help you sir?" she asked the rather handsome guy politely. "Are you searching for something special?"

He turned to her and gave her a small smile. "I'm not sure yet."

He scrutinized her with his brilliant blue eyes and a small smile on his face but she felt a little uneasy under his piercing glance.

"When you need help, I'm just over there." She motioned back at the counter and walked away quickly. In reality she fled behind the safety off the counter. Something about the man was just not right. Her senses had gone on alert.

She started polishing again, but watched him from the corner of her eye. It looked like he was particularly interested in ingredients you needed for potions.

He didn't fit the profile of their usual customers. Basically they had two kinds of customers. Ordinary humans with interest in the occult and real witches buying stuff for their magic doings. Somehow she felt, this customer was neither.

Since their shop sold only goods used for white magic ceremonies they never had any problems with demons or warlocks, like some other shop owners had. Her grandmother had decided the extra income from selling dark magic goods was just not worth the risk. But still they had kept an evil detector at the shop.

It was placed at a place behind the counter, so that the customer couldn't see it. That's were Semira's glance drifted now. The evil detector was a device akin to a Wetterhäuschen (Look at www.wetterhaeuschen.de/ for a picture of it)

If there were good vibes in the room it would show an angel, if there were bad vibes in the room it would show the little devil. For humans it could show both, as they had free will to choose their destiny.

At the moment there was no cause for concern, since the detector showed nothing extraordinarily. It was just how it should be for any human customer.

Semira relaxed. Maybe it was just the bad weather that had made her a little sensitive. She turned her concentration back to the bowls she had pilled up on the counter.

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"I think I do need your help." The voice of the man ripped Semira from her reverie. Polishing cups was a monotonous activity and her mind had gone off wandering.

"Of course, "she answered a little flustered, put the bowl down and looked up at him.

He leant casually against the counter. "Do you also cast spells for your customers?" He asked her out of the blue. His face was serious.

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean?" Semira evaded an answer. Magic must not be revealed to people not knowing about it that was one of the first things her mother had thought her.

The man smiled at her. "You don't have to act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I know about magic, "he told her lightly.

Semira looked at him warily. So she had been right before. He wasn't a normal customer. And he didn't stick to the law of not revealing magic to the ignorant.

"I'm sorry," she tried to wheedle out of it, "I don't know what you talk about. I'm just a stand in. The shop belongs to someone else. It is probably better if you come back when the owner is here if you need something special."

"I don't have time for this." His demeanour changed into a very threatening one in a split second, as he put both of his hands on the counter, leaning towards her.

Semira's glance darted to the evil detector. It showed the little red devil. She gulped hard.

"I sense that you have powers, "he said a dangerous sparkle in his intense blue eyes. "We don't have to wait for someone else and you better don't lie to me."

"Well, I could try to do a spell, "Semira stammered. She didn't dare to play the unknowing any longer. Somehow she was sure she wouldn't want to try his patience.

"I knew it!" An almost childlike smile came to his unshaven face, and she would not have wondered if he had clapped his hand in delight. He started fumbling in his pockets eagerly.

Semira threw a hidden glance at the evil detector again. It was indifferent as it has been when the customer had entered the shop. This was very strange. With a wildly beating heart and frozen to her place, she waited for his next move.

He produced two rings from his pockets and put them carefully on the counter. They looked like wedding bands to her. She looked questioningly at him.

"My wife divorced me for something I didn't do, "the man told her, tracing the rings with his index finger, "and now she refuses to talk to me. I need a spell that gives us some time to talk it out and clear out our issues. Alone." He looked at her and she could clearly see the pain and desperation in his glance.

Nevertheless Semira looked at him doubtfully. "I've never done such a spell, "she started honestly, but as her glance landed on the evil detector, and it turned to the little devil again, she quickly added, "but I'm sure I can come up with something."

"I thought so, "he nodded satisfied and with a casual wave of his hand, the sign on the door saying "OPEN" changed to "CLOSED".

"You need to focus all your attention on the spell, "he explained reacting to her dismayed face and her sharp intake of breath, "We don't want to be disturbed."

Semira had never seen an active power like his. The witches she knew of all needed potions and spells to do their magic. It looked like he was very powerful and at obviously partially evil too.

"Now let's start!" he ordered with a cheery but firm voice and Semira jumped at his commanding tone.

"I need something that symbolizes the love you share with your ex-wife," she told him hesitantly hoping he hadn't anything with him.

"Like that?" He asked smugly, as two rings appeared on the table.

"Yes," she agreed, reached for the rings but hesitated, "With your permission?"

He nodded yes good-naturedly and crossed his arms before his chest, watching her.

She took the rings in her palm and looked at them in more detail. The inscriptions were similar on both. It read "Yours Forever Cole" respectively "Yours Forever Phoebe". She put them carefully into one of the newly polished bowls.

"I need to fetch some herbs from the store, "she explained and swiftly turned for the store door. She had every intention to slip out the backdoor of the store and run as fast and wide as possible.

"Don't try to run away, "the man warned, grabbing her upper arm just before she was out of his reach, squeezing it hard.

"Ouch", she piped looking at him with big eyes. "That hurts", she said trying to pull away from him. But he didn't let go.

He was obviously not blind to her intentions, as he pulled her effortless nearer to him, menacingly whispering to her face. "Don't make me do something we both would regret. You wouldn't come far."

She didn't doubt that. After she had seen him demonstrating his powers so nonchalantly with the OPEN-sign she was very cautious. Not many witches had an active power like that. Furthermore she wasn't even sure he was a witch. Maybe he was a warlock.

"I won't run away," she stammered and he let her go, but not out of his sight.

Semira came back with the needed herbs and started working on the potion concentrated. The different herbs were sorted and then she plucked the leaves, weighed them out and mixed them. He was silent but watched her mincing the ingredients of the potion with the mortar attentively.

"How is the spell cast?" he asked her curiously.

"I can cast it now, "she told him, not looking up from her work, "but it needs a kiss to activate it."

"A kiss?" he pulled up an inquisitive eyebrow, "Why is that?"

She looked at him a little surprised. "Well it's a white magic spell I'm doing. It only works if the targets of the spell agree to its influence. A white spell can't force people's wills. If you want that, you need a dark magic spell and I can't do that."

"I don't want to force her into anything, "he said softly, "I just need one chance to explain myself to her. In private." For a moment he seemed lost in thoughts, his eyes looking into the distance, but he pulled himself together, "So a kiss is the sign for agreement?" He inquired concentrating back on Semira.

Semira stopped mixing the potion for a moment looking at him quizzically. "Normally between lovers it is."

Encouraged by the momentarily display of the evil detector she dared to ask. "Are you sure that your ex-wife is still in love with you? Because if she is not, the spell won't work."

Semira was afraid that he would blame the not working of the spell on her. And what he could do to her in that case.

"I do, "he confirmed boldly, "In fact, I'm pretty sure." _Hadn't the mermaid and the Siren incident proven that Phoebe still loved him? _"She is just too pigheaded to admit it." He shrugged.

"How much time do I have to activate the spell after you cast it?" Cole asked all business again.

"She has to kiss you within the next 48 hours. After that the spell wears off without any effect." Semira explained. She was thinking about how far away from San Francisco she could come in 48 hours.

Cole nodded gravely. 48 hours to decide his fate.

It was peculiar how the universe preferred certain numbers, Cole mused. It was also 48 hours for a novice witch to decide to which side she belonged to, good or evil. And the police requested 48 hours before you could register someone missing. Now it was 48 hours for him to succeed or to be doomed.

He watched the witch putting the mashed ingredients into the bowl, adding some water and starting to stir it energetically anticlockwise.

"Are you ready at last?" he asked impatiently after a while.

"The potion needs to build up energy and then change its colour, "Semira shook her head, "and then it will be ready."

He started pacing up and down in the shop and Semira watched the evil detector amazed. It was flickering back and forth between the devil and the angel restlessly. Who was this man, no better what was he?

"Why did you come to exactly this shop?" She asked him. The tense silence was making her much more uncomfortable than when they were talking.

He stopped pacing for a moment. "I asked around for someone who could do a nice love related spell. This shop was named several times." He looked at her challenging, because she had denied that she had done this for her customers before.

"Really?" It was Semira's turn to be surprised. Her family had never told her that they did cast spells for customers.

"Really," Cole smirked. He didn't buy her surprised reaction for a second.

"Ready," she cried out relieved. With the potion done she hoped she would get rid of him soon.

Instantly he came back to stand in front of her. "Now what?"

Semira offered the bowl to him. "Coat your lips with the potion while I say the incantation. I will repeat it 7 times. Each time you have to spread your lips with the potion from left to right. Understood?"

"Well that is not so complicated," he murmured and dipped his fingers in the potion.

Then he coated his lips like she had instructed while Semira chanted the spell. When she was finished with the incantation, Cole felt his lips tingle slightly.

Semira handed him a towel. "You can wipe it off now, "she told him, "I'm sure it doesn't taste very well."

Cole thanked her and cleaned his lips. Then he looked at his watch. Now he had 48 hours to get Phoebe to kiss him.

"What do I owe you for the spell?" he asked her and smiling contentedly he reached for his purse and put a considerable amount on the counter.

With a slight move of his hand he conjured the wedding bands to his hand and put them in his pockets again. Then he blurred out without another word and left a stunned Semira in the shop, mouth gaping wide open.

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After the odd customer literally vanished from the shop, Semira closed down immediately and headed home. She had to talk with her family urgently. She had a bad consciousness about putting an innocent woman under a spell with her obviously evil ex-husband.

In addition she couldn't make head or tail out of the strange behaviour of the evil detector. Normally the evil detector decided once, if the being was good or evil and then stayed that way. But with this particular customer it had changed its statement every some seconds.

Semira found her grandma in the backyard doing some gardening.

"Semira, you are home early," Esme greeted pleasantly. "Didn't the business go well today?"

"Well, the business wasn't bad. A customer paid me 300 bucks for some potion," Semira told her.

"300?" Esme inquired, "What kind of potion was that?" She had never asked that much for a potion. The price of the potion had to reflect the value it constituted for the customer otherwise it was bad karma for the witch.

"A kind of love potion," Semira said pointedly, "you never told me that we do potions for our customers? Why not?" Her voice was hurt and angry.

At the voice of her granddaughter Esme stretched her old back, straightened up and leant on the rake.

"Well, there are exceptions. There are times when you need to help some persons to find peace of their minds. Sometimes magic is the only thing that helps. But why are you so excited about it?"

"Because, I had a very odd customer today. HE knew that we do spells for customers, and I was really surprised about it," Semira vented, "He practically forced me to do the spell, it was like he somehow knew I have powers."

"Could you tell me more exactly what was so odd about him?" Esme asked concerned, "and what do you mean with forced?"

"Well odd means he could move things with a flick of his hand and vanish into thin air, or that the evil detector couldn't decide what to display, it just went mad. Forced, like he didn't let me send him away. I have a bad feeling about this," Semira ranted excitedly throwing her arms in the air.

Esme let go of the rake and took Semira's hand. "Come sit with me and tell me everything in detail."

She pulled her granddaughter after her to the small wooden bench under the fine blooming apple tree. They sat down next to each other, Esme rubbing Semira's slightly trembling hands soothingly while Semira recalled the encounter. Esme listened very closely to the account of her granddaughter.

"So you tell me the evil detector kept changing its display?" Esme asked once Semira had finished.

Semira nodded, "I thought that wasn't possible. Whenever I used the detector its statement was unequivocal. Do you have an idea what that means?" Semira asked agitated.

With a thoughtful expression on her face, Esme answered sympathy clearly in her voice. "It looks like you met a very rare creature. A half-breed between good and evil. There are only a few of them out there, born into eternal uncertainty about their destiny. They are poor creatures actually. They don't belong to neither side, rejected and hunted by both sides, trusted by none. Normally they don't last long, being a marked man from both sides."

"Ha, "Semira snorted, "You make it sound like I should pity him. But sorry but I can't do that. He scarred me to death and I need to find his ex-wife to warn her about him. It would be my fault if something happens to her, if he does something to her."

"I understand you Semira, and you are right. We have to try to diminish the damage your spell could cause. Did he tell you anything about himself? Anything that could help us find her?" Esme asked.

"No, not a word," Semira said frustrated, "Just that they got divorced recently. But I got a look at the inscription of the wedding rings. The first names are Cole and Phoebe."

"Good job," Esme praised, "That should be enough to find them. Do you know grand cousin Carl, who works for the county court? Maybe he can have a look into the records of divorcees of the last year." Esme suggested. It was an advantage that as gypsy you had such a large extended family.

Semira hugged her grandma tightly. "You are the best! I go and call Carl now. Maybe we find this Phoebe before her ex-husband does." Semira stood up quickly and sprinted into the house.

"A half-breed, "Esme murmured to herself, enjoying the sun on her old bones, "I needed to grow this old to finally maybe get to see one of them myself."

Esme had always been interested in the creatures of the magical realm and sized every opportunity to learn more about them. Her age wouldn't stop her from investigating this particular interesting one personally.

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tbc  
Please let me know what you think and drop a review. Suggestions, ideas, anything is welcome :-)  
Next chapter focuses again on Cole and Phoebe...


	3. Together Forever?

**A/N:** Sorry again for the long wait, this story is rather stubborn to be written, but hey here is a new chapter finally. Please let me know if there is still someone out there reading Charmed fiction even after the series ended. Your reviews make my day! Thanks a lot.

**Together Forever? **

Phoebe and Cole came out of the blur and Cole let go of her. Phoebe's lips lingered for a moment more on his lips but then she smacked him hard in the face.

"How could you!" She hissed. Then she pulled away, shrinking back from him some steps.

Cole took the blow without any reaction. He had expected her to be mad with him.

Phoebe was fuming. He had played on her compassion for him for drawing her into a kiss. She clenched her hands in to fists. "We are divorced Cole, get that into your thick head! I thought you finally understood what leaving alone meant!"

"Well, I started the kiss, but YOU were an all too willing participant," he told her coolly.

"You sweet talked me into it, giving me those puppy-eyes and all," Phoebe accused with venom in her voice. She was equally mad with herself that Cole still could push her buttons and leave her defenceless against his charms. It wasn't supposed to be that way after a divorce.

"It was the only way," he answered apologetically. "To bring you here." He spread his arms to the surrounding.

"What do you mean by here?" Phoebe spat back and then took a wary look at their surrounding. A confused expression came to her face. "Where are we?"

It was pitch-dark around her. There were no artificial lights. There was no room, no office, no city. She was standing on a meadow with grass that came up to her knees. It softly touched her naked legs.

There were no noises from traffic or humans, just the noises of a nightly wood. She could hardly see Cole now that she stood some steps away. Only his outline against the bright moon told her where he was.

"Different plane. A nice quiet and not crowded one," Cole explained nonchalantly, "I thought you said you liked camping?"

"Bring me back! Now!" Phoebe yelled heatedly and almost stomped her feet. She didn't care where she was or why Cole had brought her here. She just knew, she didn't want to be here, not with him.

"Not a chance," Cole shook his head. "I brought you here so we can talk about what happened between us. Alone." He sounded very sure of himself.

"You. Are. Crazy!" Phoebe yelled at him again. "Do you really think I will talk with you when you abduct me?" She threw her hands in the air in a gesture of pure disbelieve.

"You will have to," Cole informed her coolly, putting his hands in his pockets, "or you are stuck here with me forever." He smile slyly, it was an alternative that had its perks for him.

"You think so?" Phoebe asked rhetorically and put her hands on her hips, "Personally, I don't."

"Leo! Paige!"", she started yelling several times with all her might. Her words echoed through the nightly woods, stirring up some nocturnal animals.

She threw him a smug look while she waited for her cavalry to appear. But no one came. Cole watched her facial expression change from confidence to astonishment and then fear.

"What did you do to them?" She accused him with a flustered voice and hugged herself with her arms. Suddenly she shivered. She wasn't sure that it was only from the chill of the night.

"Nothing," he answered wit an appeasing gesture of his hand, "they are perfectly fine. They just can't hear your call. They probably don't even miss you yet." He crossed his arms in front of his chest looking at her inquiringly.

"I don't believe you," Phoebe stated, "It was a mistake to believe what you told me in my office. Believing you brought me here." She was angry with herself that she had been taken in by him.

"I had no choice Phoebe. I just want a chance to talk to you. Alone. Without your sisters. Without you running away all the time." Cole begged for her understanding.

"Well, let me tell you something, Cole, "Phoebe retorted piercingly, "you can not force me to talk with you. Even less when you hold me hostage against my will."

"Well, then we will be here for a very long time," Cole informed her complacently.

"My sisters will find me," Phoebe said convinced. By know she was feeling very chilly. She wore just a thin skirt and shirt under her jacket. It wasn't the right attire for a cross country race.

"They won't, "Cole contradicted. "They can't locate you or me as long as I don't use my powers." Cole had brooded over his plan for many nights. Now it was airtight.

"Do you want me to catch my dead out here?" Phoebe blamed Cole. Her teeth were clattering.

"Of course not, Phoebe," Cole said softly stepping closer to her, "I always only wanted you to be fine". He took of his coat and offered it to her.

She pushed his arm away and refused to take it. "I can hardly believe that, "Phoebe muttered sarcastically.

"Come with me, "Cole sighed at her stubbornness but nonetheless offered his hand to her again, "I will show you the hut."

Phoebe ignored his outstretched hand. "If you think I will touch you ever again, you are seriously mistaken," she informed him icily.

Cole heaved another sigh, took his arm back, put his coat back on again and started walking. After some steps he stopped and turned around to look at her. Phoebe hadn't moved at all.

"Phoebe," he pleaded, "there is a blockhouse just some yards away. You just can't see it in the dark at the moment. Its warm inside and I'll make you a cup of fine hot tea. How does this sound?" He waited impatiently for her reaction.

"You know what," Phoebe said nastily, "you can go wherever you want. I will take the opposite direction in any case. Anywhere is better than with you." With that she turned on her heels and stomped in the opposite direction.

After some steps her pumps got stuck in the damp mellow soil and she almost stumbled. Furiously she bent down, opened the fastener and kicked the shoes away.

Then she straightened up, held her head high and walked on determinedly on bare feet. Cole watched her shaking his head. Phoebe could be very bull headed.

Suddenly Phoebe shrieked and fell hard back on her butt. Cole jumped forward and was by here side with a few long strides. Unsure what to do he stood next to Phoebe, glancing down on her.

"Damn!" She swore loudly, trashing her hands on the ground enraged. Then she touched her nose. She felt something moist on her fingers. She was bleeding a little. _How could she have hurt her nose here?_

There was just the meadow spreading all around. She scrambled to her feet again facing Cole. Without her pumps she had to look even further up at him.

"What did you do to me? What happened to the 'I could never hurt you' crap?" Her glance bore into his. Inside Phoebe felt fear creeping up her spine. What if Cole had lost it finally and was going to hurt her? She was at his mercy without her sisters' help.

Cole shook his head unnerved. "I didn't do anything Phoebe. I told you I won't use my powers."

He was very alert, watching their surroundings out of the corner of his eyes'. He hadn't seen anything or anyone who could have pushed Phoebe to the ground. Still it looked like something had been in her way. It was rather mysterious and he began to feel uneasy. He hadn't planned to endanger her.

"How often have I heard this before?" Phoebe asked rhetorically.

"Does it hurt?" He asked ignoring her comment. Concerned he reached for her face.

"Don't!" Phoebe warned him, eyes flashing and with a move of her head evaded his hand.

Cole pulled his hand back gloomily. It was going less and less smoothly than he had envisioned it. "Let's get inside," Cole urged, "I don't know what this was, but I prefer not to get into a fight right here in the middle of the night." He didn't want his plan being jeopardized by whatever creature.

Phoebe looked around feeling uneasy. She had run into something, but she hadn't seen it. She hadn't felt it. Obviously Cole was as surprised as she was. She had seen it on his reaction. He looked at her very worried and tense. Probably it was better to stay with him until they figured out what it had been.

"Then in god's name, lead the way," Phoebe huffed.

Cole didn't offer her his arm again but turned instantly and headed in the same direction as before. Phoebe scurried after him, keen on keeping a short distance, whilst her glance switched from side to side trying to permeate the blackness of the night.

-------------------

For the second time Phoebe tripped over something she couldn't see. It was as dark in the hut as it was outside.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed angrily and rubbed her knee.

"Phoebe, I told you, stop moving until I light some candles," Cole commented the crash. "And if you would have let me take you to the chair, you wouldn't have to bump in to the furniture all over the room."

"I'm only here with you, because I prefer it to being outside with something that is attacking me which I can't see. With you, at least I know who is hurting me," Phoebe said nastily. Cole bit his lip and didn't answer anything.

Cole obviously had no problem seeing in the dark with his demonic senses. Phoebe heard him rummage around. In any case she stopped moving and stood still in the dark and waited.

Suddenly the soft light of candles broke the dark. Finally she could make out something. She watched Cole lit some more candles and more and more of the hut became visible for her.

The hut consisted of one room only. There was a fireplace where Cole kneeled at the moment, trying to get a fire stated.

"Don't you think it's easier if you started the fire with you powers?" Phoebe asked innocently.

He looked back over his shoulder curtly. "You are not going to wheedle me into using them Phoebe."

Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. It had been worth a try. She continued scrutinizing the hut and Cole turned back to the task at hand.

There was a table with 4 chairs, a couch and a bed. Only one side of the hut had two small windows with red/white striped curtains. The door they had come in was next to the fireplace.

Phoebe sat down on one of the stools. Her feet were still wet from the damp grass and she shivered and rubbed them with her hands.

"It will be warm in a few minutes," Cole noticed her discomfort, "until then, have this." He stood up and handed her a blanket from the couch.

Phoebe took it reluctantly and put it around her shoulders. She wouldn't thank him for anything. He was her captor after all.

"I brought some spare clothes for you," Cole told her motioning to a bag that was in the corner next to the door, "something more comfortable."

"You planned this really thoroughly," Phoebe retorted disgusted. She was not making any move to head for the bag, when in fact she could use a warm jumper and some trousers badly. But her pride won over her cold feet.

"Yes, I did, "Cole admitted, "We really need to talk Phoebe." With the fire now crackling cosily Cole sat down on a stool opposite Phoebe and looked at her. She looked so beautiful in the warm glow of the fire. He sent her a loving glance.

Phoebe glowered back at him. If he thought she would play along he was in for a big surprise. But despite her anger towards him she needed to find out more about his plan, if she wanted to find a way out of it. She hugged her knees and held his glance.

"Why do you think that I'm going to be here for a long time if I refuse to talk with you?" she questioned. "You know my sisters always found a way to help me."

Cole looked at her thoughtfully. "The spell I choose only plays out after we have sorted out our issues…" He didn't come any further.

"You are crazy! Out of your mind!" Phoebe interrupted him furiously. "How can you cast such a spell on us? With our history! That is insane even for your measures!" She yelled jumping up again, the blanked slipping from her shoulders. She didn't care as she stepped in front of the now crackling fire. A cosy warmth spread over her bones from the flames but it didn't calm her down, her mind was reeling.

"The power of three can break the spell, "she muttered repeatedly like a mantra to calm herself.

Cole watched her repelling back. "It's no evil spell Phoebe. I saw to it that it was done by a white witch. It isn't meant to make you miserable, but to heal us. To help us find our love again." He looked at her intensely, hope and love so clearly written over his handsome face.

Phoebe jerked around. "YOU betrayed our love when you became the Source, when you started stalking me and couldn't accept a no, when you killed an innocent, "she reiterated her accusations.

Cole's face fell and he clenched his teeth. "It's not all my fault alone you know, you contributed your fair share too" he retorted nastily but caught himself and continued calmer, "but that is exactly what we need to talk about Phoebe. You never let me explain, you never asked, you never wanted to hear my side of the story.."

"I know exactly what you did," she cut him short angrily, her eyes hard and cold, "and I won't listen to you bending the truth until it fits your purposes." Phoebe had no intention to carry on this train of conversation, since for one thing it was futile and for the other something else, more pressing had entered her mind.

"How did you get a good witch to cast such a spell?" She asked changing the subject afraid of his answer. "Did you hurt her?"

"I just talked with her, "Cole said frowning and sounded offended.

"I don't believe you," Phoebe stated, looking hostile at him.

"So, don't." Cole was fed up with her.

He decided it made no sense to talk further with Phoebe tonight. Perhaps she would be more approachable after a good nights sleep. With a sigh he got up and strode over to the couch and took off his jacket and shoes. Then he laid down, wrapping a blanket around him. He closed his eyes though he probably wouldn't don't get any sleep with Phoebe just some metres away from him.

Phoebe turned to the fireplace and continued staring into the embers of the fireplace thinking hard. There had to be a way to either break the spell or make Cole use his powers, so her sisters could locate her. She wasn't going to stay here for long.

tbc


End file.
